1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to surgical retractors and particularly to segmented surgical retractors wherein the segments and intervening spaces are strung on a strand and rigidize as to position by the tensioning of the strand.
2. Prior Art
In the performance of various surgical acts, bodily tissues are cut but not severed from the bodily structure, to be restored after surgery is complete by sutures. While the tissues remain cut but unsutured, it is necessary that they be diverted from the site of the surgery and to this end, various retractors have been devised to hold surrounding tissues away from the site of the surgery and to keep that site unobstructed. There are integral deformable pieces, usually metal, which are non-resilient and may be bent to various shapes to retain tissues in unobstructing relationship to the site of the operation. There are segmented retractors that may function in a similar way. These devices frequently are not as completely self-sustaining as might be desired and after a period of time, they relax their tension on the retracted tissues and permit those retracted tissues to encroach upon the site of the operation, thereby making the work of the surgeon difficult, and requiring the readjustment of the retractor or the application of additional retractors, sometimes requiring the complete reapplication of the retractor.